


There is no such thing as a day without excitement when Elliot is around

by Nightalp



Category: In Other Lands - Sarah Rees Brennan
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 13:23:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13054857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightalp/pseuds/Nightalp
Summary: Serene and Luke are assessing new recruits.Golden and Elliot are making bets.And then there are daggers and feelings and tears and kisses





	There is no such thing as a day without excitement when Elliot is around

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mayasilver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayasilver/gifts).



> This story takes place after In Other Lands, assuming Luke goes to become commander of his own fortress and takes his friends with him.
> 
> It is my Yuletide 2017 participation, and I really hope you'll like it

The sun was warm and bright and for once not trying to burn them all and Elliott tilted his head back to better enjoy it. Not that he would ever become a nature-fiend but there was nothing to make you appreciate the feeling of warm sun rays on your skin like the cold, cold winters of the Otherlands, causing him to shiver and freeze even before a fire and wish fervently he had thought to look up Roman underfloor heating before the fortress had been build.

"You will ruin your light complexion", Golden warned him with an undertone that suggested he had long since resigned himself to the fact that Elliot would ignore his advice. Elliot thought it was very nice of him that he still cared enough to offer it. He was sure that Golden would make a very good father – as shown in his patience with Elliot – in addition to already being such a good spouse – as shown in his patience especially with warrior-types.

Elliot bestowed a smile upon him. "Luke likes my freckles." Which, sure, shouldn't be as important as things like sunburn and skin cancer, but at least he wasn’t getting burned as easily as he had been back over the wall.

He was pretty sure it was the lack of technology and a therefore better ozone layer (which meant that there was actually a total amount of one thing that all this close-to-nature-living was good for), not that he could prove it. Well, at least he didn’t have to run back over the wall regularly to steal sunlotion.

Sighing he leaned over to pull his book back to him, balancing on the merlon as he went.

A pained cry came from the courtyard and he risked a quick glance down.

Classes at the border camp had ended a few weeks ago and as in every year, Commander Woodsinger had saddled them with fresh recruits. Which was funny, because between Elliot and Golden trying to keep everyone from fighting at all and Luke and Serene being both fair and rather vicious in battle if they found themselves in one anyway (which was far too often as far as Elliot was concerned) they hadn't lost even one of their women and men.

Well, to death at least. There were a few who had left when they realized that _this_ Sunborn wasn't one to fight all the time.

Good riddance, as far as Elliot was concerned.

Of course, new recruits meant no-one knew what they were capable of, so Serene had come up with a training exercise for their first day, because she was awesome like that. And because Luke was awesome himself sometimes, too, he just stood by and watched her beat them into submission.

Elliot made sure to roll his eyes at the whole display whenever anyone thought to bring it up. They had been out of border camp for only two years now, which meant the recruits - kids, mostly, and Elliot was still horrified at this society for rearing kids up as soldiers - knew what a badass Serene was because they had _seen_ it.

Of course, having been brought up at the border camp meant they thought they still could keep up with her.

_Warrior-types._

"My dessert this evening that the blond is going to rush her from behind", said Golden, and Elliot despaired again.

Apparently, betting wasn't something a fine elven boy did, together with reading certain doubtful literature and learning to fight, so Golden had decided he liked it as soon as one of the other soldiers stationed here with them had offered him his first bet.

The only good part of it was that Serene had no idea he was doing it, and Elliot was still waiting for her to find out that Golden running away for her - and to escape the stern lectures of his finishing school, Elliot was pretty sure - had resulted in him picking up such indecent hobbies.

Not that it kept Elliot from taking his bets - they kept Golden happy and that meant Serene was happy and that meant she spend more time with Golden and Elliot could spend time with Luke because they didn't have to run interference between the pair.

Not that the fights weren't awesome, what with Golden snubbing Serene at every possible moment and Serene trying to woo him back, but Elliot was just getting the hang of this relationship thing with Luke and he rather liked to spend time with him.

Squinting down at the courtyard he found the boy Golden was referring to. He was build like a brick wall and had indeed the fair blond hair that was just the kind of Disney prince wavy that Elliot would have killed for when he was younger (and if he had had the henchman every proper Disney villain should have to do the killing for him) and he was looking at Serene as if she had personally insulted him by taking down most of his comrades. Which Elliot thought was unfair - Serene was Luke's second-in-command, of course she could take down half a dozen recruits fresh from the border camp without breaking a sweat.

Well, maybe not all recruits - their own class had been far more accustomed to battle and fighting - but so far the peace in the Borderlands held and Elliot wouldn't change that for anything, not even if it meant having sleazy little upstart recruits thinking they could take on Serene.

"Dessert for the whole week that Luke is going to stop him before he can reach her", he said because, with an expression like that? It would be foolish to think the guy wouldn't attack her.

Golden stared down at the courtyard narrow-eyed, picking Luke's position as clearly as Elliot had – and Elliot despaired again that he was capable of reading Luke's protective stand – before nodding and offering his hand to shake.

Putting his bookmark back and the book back down beside him he joined Golden in watching what was going on down there.

Aside from the troublemaker there were three more recruits still awaiting their turn, a dark haired woman with a buzz cut that looked like she actually knew what this was about, a fairy-like being that Elliot had no idea what they even did in the warrior class of the border guard because they looked like any fresh breeze could blow them away, and a rather ordinary boy whose auburn bangs frequently blew in his eyes.

Serene waved the fairy creature forward and Elliot recognized their moves from the way nymphs seemed to flock around Luke. Blinking he tried to remember whether there had been any half-nymphs at the border camp, but gave it up as a lost course when he realized that he hadn't spend any time about the other people in his own year's warrior class, much less two years below.

Especially with how his last year had gone.

Serene and the nymph greeted each other with their respective tool of death - Serene still using her sword while the nymph brandished a rather wicked looking long knife - before Serene started the fight with a lunge forwards that the nymph neatly sidestepped.

And Elliot already felt himself hyperventilate again at seeing her in danger - at seeing her play with danger and laugh when the nymph moved fluidly under her guard and almost sliced her arm open - and so he kept his eyes trained on the blond, cursing himself for making that bet because it meant he couldn't call out to Luke and warn him.

Not that he would need that. His loser of a boyfriend already had his eyes on the guy and slowly, quietly followed him around the fight, a predator stalking its prey.

Except that he wouldn't eat the recruit. Harpy customs or not, Elliot was pretty sure that Luke would never in his life eat another sentient being.

A victorious cry came from the sand pit and Elliot let himself be distracted just long enough to see a weapon flying in a high silvery arc over the pair while Serene kicked her opponent into the sand, then held her sword in a very threatening way against the nymph's throat.

Apparently that was all the distraction the blond needed because a moment later there was movement at the edge of the sand and then Elliot saw, almost as if in slow motion, how he ran up to Serene, the same silver weapon she had flipped away just a moment ago in his hand. And he wanted to cry out, wanted to warn her, but the breath stuck in his throat, fear making the sound stick black and tar-like to his chest, and he cursed himself for being up here, for not being able to  properly warn her –

– and then Luke was there, kicking him from behind into his legs because even a fair and precious Sunborn picked up some dirty tricks in battle.

The guy went down like a felled tree and then Serene was there, too, her sword switching targets with the ease of unnumbered battles Elliot really didn't want to know anything about while Luke stomped onto his knife-wielding hand to keep the weapon down.

And Elliot couldn't hear what he said to him, either because they were to far down or because of his heart hammering in his chest, his breath loud like thunder in his ears while he tried to reassure himself that everything was fine, that Serene was okay and yes, Luke had everything under control and was probably just now ripping the guy a new one.

When he finally calmed down he felt another hand on his, cold and clammy and gripping his fingers too tight and he realized that he hadn't been the only one fearing for Serene's life. Using his thumb to stroke over Golden's palm in what he hoped was a calming manner he cleared his throat.

It took him two tries to get his voice back under control and by the time he did two of the older soldiers who had loitered around the pit to watch were leading the blond back to the fortress and hopefully behind a door with a secure lock until he could be shipped out as soon as possible.

Only then did he manage to call out: " _Loser!_ ", his voice still a little shaky though he was quite sure it would be hidden by the wind up here.

Both Luke and Serene looked up, with most of the recruits and the rest of the soldiers, too – who should have gotten used to him call Luke that by now, after all it was the name his boyfriend reacted to best –, making Elliot glad that the sun would hide how pale his face probably was because he really didn’t need any more people razzing him.

Giving Luke a thumbs up to show his appreciation at his quick thinking and applying of – this time – necessary force he saw Luke's face twist into a smile before he waved back, apparently happy with himself and the world.

And Serene, too, who now waved up at them after helping her actual opponent to their feet and then called something that Elliot was sure to be Elvish, though far too far away to be understood.

At least for him, because Golden just straightened next to him and called something back that Elliot was sure he hadn't learned in finishing school and that made Serene's face take on that mix of delighted and appalled that it often had when Golden talked to her.

And then Luke was next to her, probably asking whether she was hurt – because Luke was a worrywart when Elliot wasn't around to worry for them both – and Golden groaned beside him.

Worried he looked over, only to see him, still pale faced but with anger starting to burn in his eyes, staring down at the scene under them. "If she lets someone kill her before she made a honorable man out of me I'm going to find a way to resurrect her only to kill her with my own hands."

As far as swearing went Elliot was quite proud of him. He was also pretty sure that Golden could do it – Elliot would certainly help him search for a spell in their fancy new library.

And in the meantime ... "So, your dessert for the whole week, yeah?"

 

\--@@--

 

It took Golden a while to calm down – or, well, to get riled up as much as a proper young elf ever did – and by the time they made their way down in the bailey Luke was already sending the new recruits away.

Not that Elliot watched. He was far more interested in watching where Golden stepped up to Serene, only to tell her, once she turned to him with an excited smile, that she was a disgrace for her whole race and he was disgraced himself for ever having chosen her. He then followed it up with a perfectly executed turn on his heel and a purposeful walk away, leaving her chasing after him looking heartbroken.

“You know, half the time I don’t know whether I should clap when he makes these dramatic performances”, Luke said from behind him.

Elliot favored him with a scowl. “Would you even know that he was acting if I hadn’t told you, loser?”

“Sure.” Luke raised an eyebrow – an impressive move that Elliot still hadn’t figured out how he did it and really didn’t find endearing at all. “He always makes sure to walk up to Serene to snub her. He wouldn’t do that if he didn’t care about her.”

Which reminded Elliot again that Luke was the kid being raised in a healthy – if far too littered with sharp weapons – environment and actually knew something about how people acted with and around other people.

Case in point: The hands wrapping around his waist and pulling him close to Luke’s chest. “You know that there is no way Serene would have let that guy hurt her, even without me stepping in, don’t you?”

Elliot glared at the last stragglers in their almost-empty courtyard. “She better not. I still haven’t gotten an invitation for her clan’s library.” Then he turned around to point a finger at Luke. “And you better not let anyone actually try!”

Luke simply held his hands up. “I wouldn’t”, he promised. And then he reached forward and caught his still pointing finger in his hand, only to press a smile into his palm that shouldn’t make the residue tightness in his chest disappear but somehow did and Elliot stared at his hand, betrayed, while Luke turned completely sappy and pulled him into a hug. “Sorry for frightening you.”

Which just made Elliot turn his glare at Luke instead. “What makes you think I was frightened?”

Luke grinned. “It’s okay if you are frightened, pointed weapons are dangerous. Especially with you around.”

Elliot gaped at him, too outraged to even find words for a moment, and then there were suddenly lips on his own when Luke caught him in a kiss that he would get out of in a moment. He really would. He would just wait a moment longer and luxuriate in the feeling of Luke’s arms around his waist, holding him close. The feeling of his chest against Elliot’s, broad and hard from standing up terribly early and exercising. His scent, filling his nose with that mixture that Elliot had tried to compare to something like summer flowers before only to realize that nope, he certainly wasn’t the poetic kind that could come up with anything other but _uniquely Luke_.

Somehow he let it get on for far too long and when Luke finally pulled away he found his irritation melted too much to even muster a proper glare at being interrupted like this.

Luke smiled and took his hand. “I am free for the afternoon. Do you want to go to the library and read me more of how the  Fire Hills have been conquered by the dwarfs?”

Elliot tried to glare suspiciously at him, but the warm content feeling in his chest probably made his glare a lot less scary than it was supposed to be. “You want me to read to you? Again? In the library? Don’t you know that you are supposed to be silent in libraries?”

Luke rolled his eyes. “No one ever uses the library but you and Golden and sometimes Serene and I. Also, yes. I would like you to read to me.”

Elliot really really tried to glare at him for longer, but then he realized that he didn’t have to – because Luke had apologized and also because he was his friend and boyfriend and Elliot was allowed to be comfortable and happy around him – and so he allowed the smile to show on his face. Tightening his grip on Luke’s hand he pulled him out to the field where he knew Luke would be much more comfortable – because try as he might Luke would never feel as at home in a dark room as Elliot did, but he liked books (sometimes) and he liked Elliot and Elliot was more than happy to compromise. “You should just admit that you haven’t learned reading yet, loser”, he said and didn’t care that it sounded way too fond.

Luke didn’t answer, just pressed his hand tighter for a moment and laughed.

 

\--@@--

 

Serene’s mother had always made it sound so simple to woo a gentleman. Sure, she had also said that Serene’s father had been very difficult to woo and that that was the reason she had chosen him, but whenever they told their stories it had been with an undertone of fondness that had told Serene that they had always loved each other and were destined to stay together for the rest of their lives.

When it came to Golden and her Serene started to have doubts that they truly fit together.

Which was terrible, because if Golden didn’t chose her then his honor would have been defiled and Serene would be remembered for all her life as the girl who ruined a young gentleman’s life. It would also break her heart to lose him but it seemed more and more likely that she would.

When they finally stopped in a dark corner of the fortress, Golden turned away from her, she couldn’t help but beg: “Golden-”

Her sweetheart recoiled. “Yes?”, he asked, rather hostile, though she thought she heard something like warmth underneath.

Hope stirred in her that not all was lost. “I came to apologize to you.”

Between Golden and Elliot – and sometimes Luke, but at least he was a woman at heart for all that he had been born in the fairer sexes body – she should have known that she simply didn’t know the workings of a gentleman's heart. 

“Apologize for what?”, snapped Golden.

Knowing she was on shaky ground Serene chose her words carefully. “For upsetting you.”

And again it seemed to have been the wrong thing for Golden swirled around and then Serene wanted to recoil because there were tears in his eyes and no woman should ever have to deal with a crying gentleman. But she was strong and brave and it had been her fault that brought tears to his eyes so she stood her ground even when Golden raged at her.

“Do you even know why you upset me?!”

Panic curled through her because she knew at least enough to know that  _I do not_ was the wrong answer to this question. Hesitant she offered: “Because I almost let myself get caught by a human man?”

Golden groaned, his hands twitching as if he wanted to throw them up in the air and back the sky for patience – an overly dramatic movement she was sure he had picked up from Elliot. “I thought you would get hurt!”, he spat, then turned away, obviously intent to walk away.

But Serene had finally realized what was going on. “You were worried”, she said, amazed.

Golden turned his head, probably only to better roll his eyes at her. “It seems you do actually know how to use that brain of yours.”

And maybe Serene should be mad at his condescending demeanor but the realization that Golden cared for her still buoyed her. Remembering how Luke often dealt with an irritated Elliot she reached for Golden’s hand and gently pulled him back to her.

“I am sorry for worrying you”, she said. Wanted to say that with her swordsister watching her back there was really nothing to worry about but then thought better of it. 

It seemed to work anyway for Golden let himself melt against her, his chest almost resting against her own. One of his hands came to rest lightly on her hip and she felt a thrill at his daring. “If you ever let yourself get killed in such a stupid way I will make sure that everyone hears about it”, he threatened.

A warm feeling bubbled up in her and she had to suppress the smile that wanted to curl her lips. “You do that.”

“You will be remembered as the most stupid elven warrioress to ever have disgraced the Woodlands.”

She pulled him closer, her bosom just touching his flat chest, her muscled arms encasing his back. “Then I will just have to make sure to never die in a way that will make you think it was stupid.” 

He stared suspiciously at her. “Then you will have to die of old age, because every other way is stupid.”

Her heart sang for joy. “You realize that you will have to stay at my side to ensure that you are there when I die?”

He snorted. “If that was you asking me to marry you it was terrible. You should try again later.”

And yet he hadn’t said  _no_ . Pulling him close against her she swore: “I will”, and ignored his struggle to free himself from her grip.

At least until he kicked her into the shin, at which point the pain made her let go of him and rub the abused limb and feel betrayed. Until he stepped close again and gathered her hands in his own, then leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

And this? This was the same fondness she had witnessed in her parents all her life, and if she could have this for as long as they both lived then Golden’s prickliness was not too much a hardship to bear.

 


End file.
